


Batman: Arkham Legacy

by JEazy98



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman: Arkham (Video Games), Batman: The Telltale Series (Video Game)
Genre: Additional Characters Will Be Added As The Story Continues, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2018-09-28 03:48:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10069880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JEazy98/pseuds/JEazy98
Summary: In one night, nearly half of Gotham's criminal underworld was murdered. The group responsible is calling themselves the Children of Arkham. Meanwhile, a vigilante known as the Arkham Knight is making himself known to Gotham. Batman must now solve the mystery behind the Arkham Knight, while also figuring out who is the leader of the Children of Arkham. Add an unstable criminal underworld to the mix, and we have an interesting little tale, don't we?(Warning: The summary is bound to change.)





	1. The Rise of Arkham

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, J-Eazy here with the first chapter of Batman: Arkham Legacy. Not much needs to be said here. Just be warned: this is my first Batman story, so if it's a little iffy at certain points, it is my mistake.

It was a quiet night in Gotham, which is a rarity on any occasion. Inside the city, the Falcone family, as well as other minor families, are gathering for their annual dinner. A night between the criminal underworld, more often than not, usually goes off without a hitch. However, this night would turn out to be quite deadly for the families attending.

During the dinner, the power was cut and smoke grenades filled the room, leaving such a low visibility that people could hardly make out their own hands. As this was happening, a group of people stormed the room in gas masks. Their leader, as the members barged in, jumped onto the table and stood in the center, overlooking the families.

“Criminals…You have all eaten…” The figure began. “If not food, then the livelihood of the innocent in this city.” She then walked towards the center of the table, her figure, as well as the military grade handguns on her person becoming more evident.

“What’s this, some new stunt of yours Batman?” Angelo Beretti began, rising in anger as the smoke began to clear. As it did, however, Angelo noticed the figure had moved directly in front of him, her handgun pointed directly against Angelo’s forehead.

*BANG*

A mix of lead and Angelo splattered along the bookshelf behind him. His body falling to the floor with a thud, twitching wildly, before falling still.

“Holy shit…” Many of the other members mumbled.

“You have all drank from the wealth of the innocent…” The figure began again, as if Angelo’s outburst never happened. “…You have all killed good men, women, and children……all to further your selfish needs.”

The figure then began to walk toward Carmine Falcone. “For most of you, racketeering, pimping, accepting bribes, _murdering_ …In the old Gotham, you all could get away with this by tipping off the right people. In the new Gotham, you face time in jail, like any other criminal out there. But in _my_ Gotham…” The figure paused, placing her gun under Falcone’s chin.

“Death.”

And just like that, instead of clinking glasses filling the room, the clink of bullet shells and casings against floor tiles took their place.

_…A Few Hours Later…_

“C-come on you guys, get the fuck here already. Don’t they know how cold it is?” A man dressed in a winter jacket with a Penguin emblem on it.

“Quit your whining, Penguin said the guys will be here in a few minutes.” Another man said.

“You still got any coffee?”

“Yeah, it won’t do you any good though, it’s cold.”

“No shit, but I’ll take anything at this point.”

The man remained silent for a minute, before silently passing the coffee to his co-worker. “Man, why did we get stuck being the lookout? You _know_ Batman’s gonna jump in and ruin the weapons.” The first man asked, his body starting to heat up bit-by-bit.

The second man shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe. He has been pretty busy lately, what with Joker and Two-Face busting out of Gotham, as well as some mob meeting earlier tonight.”

“When’s all that ever stopped him?”

“You never know.”

The first man sighed, his breath turning into mist on the winter air. “Man, I wish we were back on the Final Offer. At least _there_ we have something decent to look at.”

“Heh, yeah. Tracey and Candy are pretty hot…but you don’t want to be caught around them for too long.”

“Why?”

The second man chuckled. “Well, some new guy thought it was okay to catch a peek at the Penguin’s _private_ merchandise…” He began, listening as his co-worker began to laugh, already piecing together what was about to happen. “The man screamed for so long, Penguin got tired and just threw him overboard.”

“Wait…that was him?”

“Yeah…Look, here they come.”

Two pairs of headlights turned around the corner and began to head towards the occupied warehouse. They pulled up to the two guards, who verified their identification, and drove in without a hitch.

“See, what did I tell you?” The second guard told to the co-worker.

“Yeah-yeah, but don’t count the bat out, he could show up right about—“

Suddenly, a dark figure appeared behind the two, grabbed their heads, and bashed them together, instantly knocking them out. **_“Now.”_** The figure replied, before grappling onto the roof.

Inside, the Penguin’s men were getting the deal of a lifetime. “The guns came all the way down from Central City…” The dealer began. “Just a warning though, watch _where_ and _how_ you fire these things. They were used to take down meta-humans after all.”

“No worries, with guns like these, Penguin will be running this city. And nobody, not even Batman could try and stop him.”

 ** _“I doubt that.”_** A voice said in the darkness.

Everyone went on edge. “Who the fuck said that?!” A goon replied.

Silence.

“Everyone, spread out and find this son of a bitch!” The boss replied. Soon, everyone, even the dealers had the place covered.

Meanwhile, the figure walked across the beams overhead. Stalking his victims below, like a cat to a mouse. But he had to make sure everything was perfect, everything he did affected everything else. Like a puzzle, knock out a good half of the puzzle, the other half will feel like simple clockwork.

Back on the ground, the guards began to split further up, while others formed into small groups, leaving some thugs completely alone. ‘And so, the pieces begin to fall into play.’ The figure thought to himself.

One thug unknowingly ended up walking under where the figure was. The thug’s attention was caught when something hit the ground with a light _thud_ …right behind him. “What the--?” He began, but got cut off when the figure bashed his own head into the thug’s, leaving the thug to fall to the ground, and his gun with the figure, who promptly smashed the weapon over his knee. Suddenly, a light beeping could be heard from the thug. Upon further examination, the figure noticed it was a heartbeat monitor. “Fuck.” The figure said to himself.

“Who’s the dumbass that got knocked out?!” The boss spoke up, obviously upset.

The figure then opened a menu on his left wrist. After pressing a few key buttons, the figure disappeared, and backed into the shadows.

“Oh shit, he’s got one of us.” Another thug replied, trying to wake up his friend, but to no avail. “Oh, I’ll find you, and when I do, I’ll kill you!” But before he could continue, the figure ripped him into the shadows, and knocked him out.

Suddenly, the sound of police sirens filled the void, and flashing red and blue lights illuminated the warehouse. Before anyone knew what was happening, a squadron of officers swarmed the room. “Everyone on the ground! NOW!” An officer yelled.

Most of the minor thugs quickly dropped their weapons and lied down across the floor. The bosses and dealers, however, had a different idea. But before they could put a plan in motion, a few smoke pellets were tossed across the room, effecting both the thugs and the officers. “What the…!” The boss yelled out, before something unseen struck him down.

The sound of the boss’ screams and bones slowly breaking filled the room. While many of the cops were on the ground, one of them managed to point their gun at the boss and the invisible figure. Suddenly, the figure showed himself, and everyone’s heart stopped. A demon, with wings that seemed to span the width of the whole warehouse, eyes a deep blue, and a deep blue bat symbol on his chest.

The figure stayed over the man for a few minutes, almost purposely wanting to hear the man scream. Not so long after, the man passed out from shock. The figure, in reply, seemed to open the man’s jacket and pull out whatever he could find. When he was satisfied with his findings, he stood up, and walked towards the officer.

The officer was almost in a similar state of shock, watching in near-horror as the demon edged itself closer and closer to her, almost gliding, until he stopped in front of her, his chest pressed against the barrel. “Wh-what is happening?” The officer asked, too scared to pull the trigger.

 **“Your favorite nightmare.”** The figure replied, his voice even _sounding_ demonic. **“Don’t worry, the effects will fade in a half-hour, consider yourself lucky, sergeant…”** He began, tilting his head to stare at the officer’s badge. **“…Montoya”** He finished, before walking into the night.

“W-Why?” Montoya replied.

The figure turned around, already starting to look more human. **“You didn’t pull the trigger.”** And just like that, the figure was gone. Montoya turned towards the boss, a low groan escaping his lips. Upon further examination, she discovered that the side of his face was burnt. And the shape of that burn formed a bat symbol, but as the flesh cooled down, a symbol inside of the bat became revealed…

Arkham.

_…A Few Hours Later…_

‘Right on time.’ Commissioner James Gordon thought. The familiar sight of the Dark Knight known as Batman greeted him as he turned, the only good thing to happen tonight. “I take it you’ve heard about what’s happened over the last couple hours.” He began, handing Batman the report. “Over half of Gotham’s crime families taken down in an hour…I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved when I heard about this.”

“They have a name?” Batman asked.

“None that have come up on any databases, no. But they did leave a message.” Gordon replied, gesturing toward the file. Batman noticed a picture attached to the file and pulled it out.

It was a member of the security team during the meeting. He had multiple stab and bullet wounds to the point that he was almost unrecognizable. However, he did have enough structure left on his body to have a message carved onto it.

**“Fear the Children of Arkham.”**

“And on top of that, we got a report of a man breaking up a gun bust.” Gordon began, handing batman the second report. “Some of the officers said the guy looked a lot like you.”

Batman stared at Jim in response.

“I knew it wasn’t. But this kid did everything you’ve done, except he’s a bit more _extreme_ with his methods. Nearly every gang member there had to be rushed to the hospital, some had it worse than others. We also found this on one of the bosses, something like a calling card.” Jim stated, handing Batman a picture of the boss with the emblem on the side of his face.

“Arkham.”

“Some of the boys have already begun calling him the ‘Arkham Knight.’” He said, gesturing to find his nicotine gum in his jacket. “You think these cases are connected?” He began, only to find that Batman had vanished into the night. Jim chuckled to himself, “Probably.”

_…Somewhere in the heart of Gotham, A Few Hours Later…_

Roman Sionis, aka the Black Mask, is known by many to be strict, ruthless, and just outright sadistic whenever he wants to be. But tonight, he seemed to be surprisingly at ease. This may be due to the guest he was expecting.

“I take it Penguin’s guys didn’t put up much of a fight?”

 **“No, they didn’t.”** The figure replied. **“You were right about the time as well. Could’ve set a watch to it.”**

Roman chuckled. “Yeah, Cobblepot’s always known to be on time with everything in his business.” He began, turning on the television in the room, which had side-by-side footage of the ‘Underworld Massacre’, as the news outlets are calling it, and the attack on Penguin’s men by the ‘Arkham Knight’.

**“So, what do you plan to do now that Gotham’s criminal underworld has been wiped out?”**

Roman smiled. “Not _all_ of Gotham’s underworld is gone. A few of the main families’ kids, Falcone’s being one of them, have all been pushed to the top of the food chain. They’ll either be making deals, or they’ll be dead. Either way, what happened tonight will certainly change the way crime runs in this city.”

Roman than opened the door to his liquor cabinet. “What’ll you have?”

**“Scotch.”**

Roman began to prepare the glasses. “Rumor has it the police have come up with a name for you: the ‘Arkham Knight.’ Yeah, like you would give a damn about anything relating to ‘Arkham.’”

The figure remained silent for a minute, almost pondering to himself. **“Arkham Knight, huh? Hmm……I kind of like it, it’s got a ring to it.”**

Roman nearly rolled his eyes. “You really have a thing for theatrics, don’t you?” A few seconds later, two scotch glasses appeared on the counter. Both men grabbed their respective glasses. “Here’s to Gotham.” Roman said, raising his glass.

**“To Gotham.”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want, leave a comment, let me know what you think of the story so far and how I could improve upon it. Either than that, I hope you all have a great day.


	2. Mind Over Matter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Batman has an encounter with the Arkham Knight...or does he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all, J-Eazy here with a new chapter. Sorry it's a few weeks later. Midterms and spring break are to blame, so my bad. I hope you all have had a great spring break, and if you're just getting yours started, I hope it's a blast.
> 
> Also, apologies in advance if some characters may seem OOC, mainly Batman. I'm trying to make him out as I see in the games, cartoons, and comics. Personally, I'm a little iffy on it, but if you like it, awesome.

_…Later That Evening, Gotham Harbor…_

Batman, the World’s Greatest Detective, has fought nearly countless enemies throughout his career in Gotham. Stopping those who need to be stopped, helping those who needed to be helped. All these years he believed he was making a difference. However, not even Batman could ignore the effect over Gotham the past few hours have had when compared to the past few years.

Couples were walking along the street, not a care in the world, as if this was the Gotham they had always lived in. Batman gazed upon his city and stared at it, for what felt like the first time in years, in wonder.

The call from Oracle reminded him of the task at hand: Dick and Tim were investigating the Falcone’s Mansion, hoping to get a better understanding on the Children of Arkham, while he investigates Gotham Harbor, hoping to get a better understanding on the Arkham Knight.

Upon arrival, Batman quickly went to work. “Oracle, see if you can hack into the security cameras around my location.” Batman said.

“No problem.” Oracle replied. “Sending the feed to your suit.”

A few seconds later, every camera angle taken in that warehouse, inside and out, was in Batman’s hands. A few minutes into the feed, he could pick out the obvious: Penguin’s men were receiving a gun shipment. What he took his time considering, was every action made by the Arkham Knight.

The first that caught his eye, was the Arkham Knights smoke grenades. Once they went off, the people in the room had a reaction similar to those who were exposed to Scarecrow’s fear toxin. Upon tracing where one of the grenades went off, Batman noticed that there was a trace of the chemical along the stone floor. He quickly scanned the residue, and sent the results back to Barbara at the batcave for study.

The second part of the feed he took notice on, was the Arkham Knight himself. Batman studied this man’s moves down to the very last second, and the result failed to put him at ease.

The Arkham Knight did every move Batman would have done, down to the wire.

However, Batman quickly caught something else about the Arkham Knight’s moves. He isn’t as skilled as Batman is. Most notably, the way he moves. With Batman, he has a certain patter he follows when he fights crime. Use this stance, bring this gadget, hide at this point, and so on. The Arkham Knight however, seemed to be casual when he was subduing Penguin’s guards.

As Batman was noticing this, his attention was drawn towards a pointed-ear shadow being cast over the interior of the warehouse…and it wasn’t his. He quickly looked up, trying to find the source of the shadow, and came face-to-face with the Arkham Knight, who was looking down upon him for who knows how long.

Batman reacted quickly, pulling out his grappling-hook and quickly rushed to the roof. But surprisingly, the Arkham Knight didn’t move a muscle. He just stood there, like a statue. Batman was a little taken back by the Arkham Knight’s movements. He expected him to talk, move, do something, but he just stood there. “Who are you?” Batman asked. The Arkham Knight didn’t move. “Answer me!”

At first, he didn’t respond. Then he responded. **“The story is that you are feared throughout all of Gotham, some people going so far as to say you are a demon from the depths of Hell. But what happens to those who don’t fear you?”** He began to walk towards Batman, staring him in the face. **“They rebel, they kill those you protect. You rule by fear, but fail to stop those who don’t fear you.”**

And before Batman could react, the Arkham Knight grabbed him. **“They will fear me as they have _never_ feared you.” ** And suddenly, Batman tried to punch the Arkham Knight, who responded by jumping away. Quickly, Batman shot his grappling-hook at the Arkham Knight. In response, the Arkham Knight seemingly slid around the cable and launched trio of batarang’s out of his wrist gauntlet.

Dodging the batarang’s, Batman jumped towards the Arkham Knight and began to throw a punch. Surprisingly, the Arkham Knight dodged it. Batman threw a second, a third, a fourth, fifth, and the Arkham Knight effortlessly dodged them both. Suddenly, Batman threw a punch at the Arkham Knight, and connected. But instead of knocking him back, his fist went right through him. Before Batman could react, the Arkham Knight disappeared.

“Batman!” Barbara yelled out.

Batman tried to get his head back in line. “B—Oracle, what happened?”

“You were examining the docks, when you just grappled to the roof, and started fighting the air.”

Batman almost couldn’t believe it. He remembered everything, especially where this little illusion could have begun. “Oracle, I’m sending some residue I scanned on one of the walls. I believe it is what caused me to hallucinate.” He said, trying to clear his head.

“Understood, checking it now.” A few minutes passed before Barbara spoke again. “Huh. It appears that the chemical you scanned is similar to Scarecrow’s fear toxin, except this strain is different. It seems that exposure to a larger amount leads to a temporary paralysis-like state. The amount you were exposed to wasn’t enough to cause paralysis, but it was enough to make you believe whatever you saw was real.”

Batman remained silent for a few moments, trying to regain his composure. “Any leads on who is making this?”

“Actually, yes. One person. Well, two people, but one of them is deceased. The name of the deceased is a Michael Ritter, and the name of the other is…” Barbara stopped, almost like she was a bit taken back by the name. “Penelope Young.”

“Dr. Young?”

“Apparently so. She’s now a psychiatrist a Blackgate. It says here she uses the chemicals on some of the saner patients there as a way to have them see what their fears are and work with that to bring them back to sanity.”

“Hmm, sounds like I’ll have to pay Dr. Young a visit.”

“Understood, it appears that she lives somewhere in Lacey Towers, around the 7th floor.”

_…An Hour Later…_

Penelope Young was never really a good sleeper. She mostly slept when it was absolutely necessary. And with her work experience, some sleep would be advised. From having to leave Arkham due to… _workplace hazards_ , she’d honestly thought that being away from the psychos would be a stress relief. But when some of the deadliest psychos know how to get to you, relief seems to be pointless.

So _why_ she applied to Blackgate, she will never know.

She lied in her bedroom, staring at the ceiling, trying to focus on sleep without fears constantly taking over. When suddenly, a chill went through the room. Shivering, Penelope stood up, realizing that sleep will not be coming soon for her anytime soon, and walked towards her kitchen. Once there, she couldn’t help but feel the chill once again, she glanced around the room and caught a sight that lwft a chill down her spine.

Her balcony door was open, and someone was standing in her home.

“Dr. Young.” Batman said.

Dr. Young was briefly taken back, but responded. _“Batman.”_

“I’m here to ask you something about the events that transpired this evening.” Batman began, slowly approaching her.

Penelope couldn’t help but notice that Batman seemed to be more strained than usual. Perhaps something happened to him? Either way, she found herself unconsciously stepping back. “W-What events?” Then, Batman brought up the video feed from Gotham Harbor, specifically where the Arkham Knight’s fear toxin filled the room. “W-what is this?” she asked.

“You tell me.”

“I-I don’t know what I’m looking at.”

“This evening, a man called the Arkham Knight attacked a shipment of guns meant for the Penguin. During this attack, he used smoke grenades filled with a more powerful strain of _your_ fear toxin.”

“And you think I was involved in this?” Penelope asked, her fear beginning to turn into anger.

“No. I _do_ know that you are the only person with the ability to make the formula.”

Penelope almost laughed. “Was I the only one on your little list?”

Batman was silent.

“Michael was on that list. I know, because _he_ made the formula.” She began, her anger now dimming down into sadness. “He was in the army, trying to make a new type of chemical weapon. He heard about Scarecrow’s fear toxin and thought he could make his own variant…it worked.” A couple tears were beginning to escape. “Later on, he gave me the formula, saying it could possibly be used as a non-lethal variant, to ‘Help a patient literally _see_ what the subject of his potential madness is.’ Again, he was right.”

Penelope looked like she was about to say something else, but hesitated. “Look, if you are so concerned about the fear toxin, look up the soldiers in Michael’s unit. And…” She began, but was distracted by Batman’s demeanor. “…were you exposed to any of it?”

Batman remained silent.

Penelope didn’t need an answer. “You were.” She turned on a light and proceeded to find her first-aid kit. “How long have you been exposed?”

“Around forty-five…sixty minutes.”

Penelope found a cloth and began to rub it along Batman’s mask and exposed mouth. “I have no doubt you already know, the chemical leaves residue. The thing is, that residue emits a smaller dose of the toxin. You’re lucky it was just this, instead of the whole strain.”

“…Thanks.” Batman responded. He wasn’t ungrateful, but he felt like he could’ve managed.

Penelope’s attitude suddenly changed. “Don’t mention it. After all, you did save my life back at the Asylum…twice. No, wait, _three_ times? Either way, I hope I answered all of your questions?”

Batman remained silent, almost examining her. “…Yes. Stay safe, Penelope.”

Penelope smiled. “You too Batman, you too.”

_…A Few Hours Later…_

To say Batman was frustrated would be like saying the Joker was psychotic…it was obvious. After hours of searching throughout Gotham, looking through every known possible location of hideouts, he still failed to find both the Children of Arkham and the Arkham Knight. Yet, whenever there was a crime, the Arkham Knight beat him to the punch and left before anyone saw him.

**“You know I’m trying to be hidden, right?”** The Arkham Knight spoke out from the passenger street. **“I got it from you, you know.”**

“You’re not real.” Batman replied.

**“Well, duh. Didn’t need anything to figure that out.”**

“What do you want?”

**“Well, to figure out what makes you tick. And, if there’s time, to see how long it takes to make you drive into a wall, hoping to rid me from your mind.”**

“ _Shut up_.”

**“Make me.”** The Arkham Knight replied, now kicking his feet up onto the dashboard. **“Something that I’m wondering though is, why are you imagining me so talkative? I mean, you only have that one clip of me talking. Am I supposed to be like you when you’re in closed quarters?”** The Arkham Knight began to chuckle. **“Imagine if you were this talkative with the Robins, or when you’re in bed with, what’s their names…… _Selina_ …and… _Talia._ ”**

Batman slammed his fist into the passenger seat.

**“What were you trying to accomplish with that?”**

“Shut up!”

The Arkham Knight relaxed. **“It looks like I struck a nerve. Or, at least, you made me strike one.”** He said, twiddling his fingers in boredom. **“Let’s change the subject, shall we?” Hmm, you think Penelope was telling the truth?”**

Batman remained silent.

**“Fine, be that way. You know, fun fact, it’s actually okay to talk to your psyche, it could give you a better understanding of the situation, like talking to a real person.”**

Batman remained silent.

**“Fine then, I guess I’ll just sit here then.”**

For some reason, Bruce couldn’t help but smile.

**“Quit it.”**

_…The Batcave, a Few Minutes Later…_

The Batmobile roared as it came into the Batcave. Batman quickly got out and removed his mask, taking a gasp of air for what felt like the first time in hours.

**“Wow, so this is the ‘Batcave’…roomy.”**

Bruce quickly stripped off his suit, leaving him in an under-armor outfit, took his costume to a decontamination station in the cave, and washed off whatever residue was on him or his suit. Once he was sure he was clean of whatever residue the Arkham Knight left, he walked out of the station, and was greeted by Alfred.

“Ah, Master Bruce, welcome back. I trust tonight’s events have proven to be fulfilling?”

Bruce was breathing heavy, but still responded. “You could say that.”

“Master Bruce, Ms. Kyle stopped by earlier, saying she had something regarding this ‘Arkham Knight’ fellow, she should be upstairs.”

Bruce took a deep breath, realizing that the decontamination worked. “Okay Alfred, thank you.” He said, beginning to walk toward the entrance to the Manor.

“Oh, and sir, that meeting with the board, should I move it to noon instead of 8?”

“Sure.” Bruce said. Even he had to admit, he’ll need all the sleep he can get if he can stay focused for this new case.

He entered the Manor, the events of the last few hours repeating inside his head. How some new guy managed to affect him to his core. It was _infuriating_. Bruce walked into his room and went straight to the shower, hoping to clear his mind. Once he was done, he walked back into his bedroom, his mind final feels clear.

_“Bruce.”_ A feminine voice called out…seductively.

Bruce turned. “Selina.”

Selina Kyle, known by many as Catwoman, lied in Bruce’s bed, wearing nothing but a smile. Bruce bit the inside of his mouth, trying to hold back.

So much for a clear mind.

“What do you want Selina?” Bruce said, trying to hide his hardening member.

Selina’s smile grew. “What? Can’t a girl surprise a guy anymore?” She said with mock-sadness.

_“Selina.”_

Selina reached between her breasts and pulled out a small disk. “A few weeks ago, I managed to put some recording software into my visor. For the longest time, I thought that it was useless. That is, until tonight.” She began, hoping to get a reaction from Bruce. She did. “I ran into your little friend in the middle of a bust and managed to follow him around the city. I was able to get the footage onto this disk.”

Bruce attempted to take the disk, but Selina quickly began to move it back between her breasts. “What do you want?” Bruce asked.

Selina crossed her legs, giving Bruce a good look at her shaved womanhood. “One night, that it.”

Bruce sighed. “Selina, any other night, you’d get everything you’d wish for.”

Selina looked genuinely surprised. “But not tonight?”

“In the morning.” Bruce said. Seeing Selina’s confused reaction, he offered a brief explanation. “I had an encounter with the Arkham Knight myself. I was exposed to some type of fear toxin, leaving my mind in an… _open_ state. I’ll tell you more, just…not now.”

Selina’s expression turned to low sorrow. She got herself under the covers, and lifted the covers for Bruce. Once in bed, Selina wrapped herself around Bruce. Bruce wrapped his arms around her in return. And surprisingly, for the first time that night, Bruce finally felt a little at ease.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if I'm a tease. Lemon will be in Chapter 3, as well as the appearance of the Children of Arkham, along with some other special people.
> 
> Please, tell me what you think of the story so far. Whether you love it or hate it, I want to know. And if you do like it, give a kudo. So, without further adieu, I hope you all have a great day.


	3. The Bat, The Cat, The Children, and The Knight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 4/22/2017 - Hey everyone, J-Eazy here with a new chapter. Before we begin, I must apologize. I had originally planned to have this chapter out weeks ago, but with school and life, I had to postpone work on this chapter until a week ago. Also, I apologize in advance if the lemon in the beginning of this chapter isn't so good. It is the first time in a LONG time I was working on one. I wanted to do this so I would feel a little less awkward as I'm writing future lemons.
> 
> Second, I would like boblehead, Sophi_917, and the 4 guests who left kudos for my work. Six Kudos within two chapters is incredible for me. With my Spider-Man G2 story, it took forever to get the kudos it has now, so seeing this get more kudos than that is just mind boggling to me. So thank you to everyone who enjoyed the story, and I hope you enjoy the story from here on out.

The morning sunlight was a welcoming sight for Bruce to wake up to. It felt like forever since he remembered being awake in the early morning hours. He tried to sit up and lean against the headboard for support, but was halted by a hand pressing against his stomach. He opened his eyes to the sight of Selina Kyle, who was placing little kisses along the length of Bruce’s already erect member. Upon locking eyes with Bruce, Selina briefly pulled away from it.

“Good morning.” She said, her seductive smile lighting up Bruce’s morning further.

“Morning.” Bruce replied.

And with that, Selina immediately went back to Bruce’s manhood, wrapping her lips around its pulsing head, her tongue eagerly picking up the precum that was building on it. Bruce gripped the sheets, completely under the cat’s control.

Slowly, Selina took more and more of the Dark Knight’s cock into her mouth, her tongue constantly wrapping around it as it went deeper into her mouth. Selina saw the effect her skills were having on Bruce and laughed, the vibrations being sent along his member were slowly pushing Bruce further towards the edge.

Soon, after what felt like hours. Bruce felt Selina’s lips press against the base of his manhood. Selina kept herself there, slowly swiveling her tongue around Bruce’s base, aiming to goad a reaction from Bruce…it didn’t work, which made her ecstatic. She considers herself a woman of many talents, and _this_ is one of them.

With an audible pop, she pulled Bruce’s cock from her mouth, her smile as wide as ever. “Come on Brucie, this kitty needs her _cream_.” She said, dragging his cock along the sides of her face.

“ _Selina_.” Bruce said. His voice was wavering, she had him right where she wanted him. Slowly, Selina leaned down, licking away at his jewels, while jerking Bruce off with both hands, before resuming her work with her mouth along his member.

“ _Selina_.” Bruce said, grasping at her hair.

Selina smiled. “Come on Bruce, you know you want to.” And with that, Bruce let out an inaudible gasp, and came down Ms. Kyle’s throat. Selina didn’t allow a drop to go to waste, eagerly swallowing whatever she could, before removing Bruce’s cock from her mouth with a gasp.

Wasting little time, Selina maneuvered herself so her womanhood was directly over his still throbbing manhood. “Ready?” She asked. Bruce nodded, and Selina slowly sank herself down onto him, basking in the fullness he was giving her.

“Come on Bruce, make this pussy _purr_.” Selina goading Bruce on. Bruce responded by tightly grasping Selina’s hips and slamming himself into her. Selina gasped, her breath being taken away with every thrust. “I missed this.” She gasped out.

“Me too.” Bruce moaned out.

Selina smiled at that, starting to get lost in old memories, before the loss of air brought her back into reality. She moaned as Bruce’s hands altered between her breasts and her clit. Her mind beginning to race as the sensations were sending her over the edge. “Bruce…Bruce, I-I’m close.”

“So am I.” He said, picking up his pace.

Before Selina could react, she felt the force of her orgasm rip through her, her juices practically drowning Bruce’s already throbbing member. Before Bruce could react, Selina pulled herself from him and lied down on the bed.

“Take your best shot, Bruce.”

Needing no other encouragement, Bruce adjusted himself so that he was over Selina, and furiously pumped himself. With a low groan, Bruce erupted onto Ms. Kyle, coating her face, breasts, and stomach with his cum.

Selina then sat up, admiring Bruce’s marksmanship, while also admiring the copious amount of cum he gave her. Using her fingers, she smeared some of it onto her breasts, while also putting more into her mouth. With that, Selina began to walk towards Bruce’s bathroom. “We better clean ourselves off, before we examine the disk.” She said, all business, before giving a seductive smirk. “Feel free to join me for round two if you’d like.”

Bruce smiled before accompanying Selina in the shower.

_...A Few Minutes Later…_

Bruce and Selina were examining the disk in the cave, both individuals hoping that the video will help shed some light in some way. For Bruce, it is an opportunity to get to know Gotham’s newest vigilante. While for Selina, it was an opportunity to see the Arkham Knight from another perspective. She can use that perspective to change her game plan, mainly since the Arkham Knight’s record is that he leaves many of his victims in critical condition, and that is the _last_ thought she should have to worry about.

After a few minutes, the feed begins to appear on the monitor.

The scene isn’t anything too out of the ordinary to begin with. The time registered that Catwoman’s encounter with the Arkham Knight took place about an hour after Batman’s investigation of the docks. Catwoman is prowling across Gotham, most likely after a potential cat burglary due to the faint clinking of jewels in her pouch.

Suddenly, a scream can be heard from the streets below. Selina pauses for a minute, looking towards where her apartment would be, then towards the direction of the scream. She glances back-and-forth for a couple seconds, lost in an endless thought, before jumping off the roof and landing softly in the alleyway below.

Selina approached the area of the scream, which appeared to originate from a run-down drug lab in the middle of some dead crime-lord’s territory…lovely. She approached the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever action was going on inside. When suddenly, the action came to her. A man’s body burst through the window and slammed into the wall in his path.

Selina gasped in surprise, but suddenly found herself out of breath as she inhaled some type of gas coming from the inside of the building. She to catch her breath and assess the situation, when she saw the Arkham Knight slowly exit the window.

The Arkham Knight looked like Batman, but everything else about him was off. He was covered from head-to-toe in a metallic, almost military-like suit, effectively making him look like a man a city could fear.

The thug was already broken, bloody, and barely hanging on to consciousness. When he saw the figure approach him, he could’ve died from the shock right there. Suddenly, the Arkham Knight wrapped his hand around the thug’s throat and, with an impressive display of strength, lifted the thug with the one arm against the wall.

**“Do you know why I’m here?”** The Arkham Knight spoke out.

“Wh-why?” The thug replied.

**“Because this city…is a disease filled hotspot, and people like you, as well as your friends back there, are the carriers, spreading the plague across the city, destroying the lives of the innocent souls you infect.”** The Arkham Knight raised the man higher. **“I am this city’s cure, I am here to cleanse this city. And do you want to know _how_ I plan to do so?”**

The thug remained silent, completely afraid to talk.

**“Start by destroying the carriers.”** The Arkham Knight said, drawing his fist back. But before he could do anything, the thug, in a moment of sheer unpredictability, fell into unconsciousness. The Arkham Knight dropped the thug to the ground. **“Fuck.”** He said to himself, before turning and making eye contact with Selina.

“Fuck.” She muttered to herself.

The Arkham Knight slowly walked towards Selina. Selina tried to move, but was somehow rendered immobile by whatever gas was coming from the building.

Before she could react, the Arkham Knight cupped her jaw with his hand. He turned her head from side-to-side, examining every inch of Selina’s face. After what felt like forever, the Arkham Knight began to speak. **“You shouldn’t be here, kitty cat.”**

Selina smirked. “W-what can I say, you certainly know how to get a girl’s attention.” She said, giving the Arkham Knight a playful wink.

She couldn’t tell what expression the Arkham Knight was giving, but the way he didn’t show _any_ reaction means that either he didn’t catch it, or he just didn’t care. Seeing the Arkham Knight’s hand press against his mask and turn what appeared to be some dial on the side of his mask seemed to weigh Selina’s opinion towards the latter.

**“You’ve been exposed to by fear toxin.”** He stated.

“Really, what was your first clue?”

Selina was almost taken back when the Arkham Knight emitted what seemed to be a small chuckle. **“The fact that you weren’t trying to disappear into the night basically gave it away. Either that, or you might have thought that I didn’t notice you during my little… _chat_. Either way, you’re still here.”** He stated, already taking precautions to remove the fear toxin from Ms. Kyle.

Selina remained silent, trying to study the Arkham Knight while she had the chance. He’s tall, about the same height as Bruce, maybe half-an-inch to an inch shorter. That wasn’t the only comparison she had to Bruce, the way the Arkham Knight moved, stood, and studied, the only thing missing would be a cape, and a sidekick to appear out of the woodwork.

**“Where’d you get this?”** The Arkham Knight spoke up, suddenly holding Selina’s pouch in his hand.

Selina’s eyes quickly turned to shock. She tried to reach out and grab the pouch from him, when the Arkham Knight’s free hand grabbed quickly grabbed her wrist. She winced at the pain shooting up her arm. He was holding her arm with such strength that Selina felt that any more pressure added and bone would begin to break.

**“You really need to keep an eye on other people’s belongings, Ms. Kyle.”** The Arkham Knight said.

Selina froze. True, there were only a handful of people who know her real identity, but hearing the new guy caller by that seemed to send shivers down her spine. “W-What are you going to do, arrest me?”

The Arkham Knight remained silent, as if contemplating his answer. **“No.”**

For a second time that night, Selina was taken back. “No? What do you mean _no_?”

The Arkham Knight backed away from Selina, allowing the woman to get a sense of movement once again, before speaking. **“People like you, aren’t the kind of people I’m after. From your what I’ve read on your record, you aren’t wanted for murder, so you’re safe from my usual brand of justice.”** He began, cracking his knuckles. **“That doesn’t mean you’re always going to be safe, though.”**

Selina stretched, before slowly strutting her way towards the Arkham Knight. “Now, _that_ sounds like a challenge.” She said, pressing her body against the Arkham Knight’s, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I _love_ a challenge.” She finished, placing a kiss on the front of the Arkham Knight’s mask. She remained in this position for a few seconds, before turning away. Upon hearing the Arkham Knight grapple onto the roof, Selina took the time to look at the newly acquired jewelry pouch. “Too easy.”

Selina began to climb back towards the roof she came from, taking the time to leap onto the pipes scattered along the side. It was going smoothly, that is, until a batarang suddenly pierced her already damaged wrist. Selina screamed out in pain, falling back onto the unforgiving concrete below. A few minutes passed, and Selina’s breaths were short and rapid bursts, desperately trying to keep herself alive. She opened her eyes to see a now too familiar figure. He crouched down and took the pouch from Selina once again.

**“Too easy.”** He spoke out, almost in a mocking tone, before rising. He was about to leave, when he turned and made eye contact with Selina. He took out some bandages from one of his own pouches, before tossing it onto her. **“Consider this your warning.”**

And the video ends.

Bruce rewound the footage back to where the Arkham Knight was staring down at Selina, and stared back at the Arkham Knight. He remained in this position until Selina’s voice chimed in. “Well, anything?”

Bruce remained silent, deep within his thoughts. “Whoever he is, he has knowledge of your identity. And the fact that he potentially has an arsenal of his own, as well as a high-tech, means that whoever gave him the arsenal would have to have pretty deep pockets.”

Selina pondered the possibilities. “Know any rich people like that in Gotham?”

“I can name a few.”

“Well, when do we start?”

Bruce stood up. “Later tonight, I a few meetings to attend to.” He said, making his way towards the manor. “You need a ride?”

Selina smiled. “No thanks, I called a cab while you were changing, should be here in a couple minutes.”

“Ah.” Bruce said, arriving at the front door, seeing a taxi slowly pull up. “How’s your injuries?”

Selina smiled, wrapping her arms around him. “As you just saw, they’re not an issue.” She said, giving Bruce a small peck on the lips. “See you tonight.” Selina said.

“Tonight.” Bruce replied.

_…Later That Evening…_

Batman sat perched atop of a building overlooking Gotham City, his city, his _family’s_ city. Yet, as he survey’s it’s landscape, as well as its people, he begins to wonder if there will come a time when he won’t be able to recognize it anymore. Having Dick and Tim helping patrol the city tonight helps Bruce see the lighter side of that argument.

“Lost in thought, handsome?” Selina said, leaning in close to Bruce.

“You could say that.” Bruce replied.

Selina became curious. “What is it?”

Batman stood up. “It’s nothing.” He said. “Heard anything while I was out?”

Selina smiled. “Actually, yes.” She began. “Rumor among some of Gotham’s underworld it that one of Black Mask’s warehouses is going to be robbed later tonight by the Children of Arkham. They say that it’s going to spark an all-out war in return. And with the way the underworld is now, it wouldn’t surprise me.”

“Where’s the warehouse located?”

“North side of Gotham, if we hurry, we’ll catch them.”

Batman nodded, calling in the Batwing. “Don’t worry, we’ll make it.”

Selina smiled. “Have I ever mentioned that I love your gadgets?”

_…A Few Minutes Later, North Gotham…_

The two got to the warehouse just in time to see two vans pull up and a group of armed thugs burst out and fire on the guards on the outside. That was their queue to get in there.

Slowly, Bruce and Selina entered from the windows along the rooftop. This gave them a perfect view of the Children of Arkham as they began to pick the warehouse apart.

“Find anything interesting, boys?” Their boss, Lady Arkham, asked, walking across the warehouse.

One of the men, most likely a lieutenant, due to his immense size and unique style of outfit when compared to the others, walked beside her. “We’ve picked up some new weapons that the Black Mask was testing out, along with some trucks in the next room. Some of our guys are raiding the supply rooms, gathering whatever reserved cash and ammo they can. And we have some guys in the office. From what they’ve said, they have enough dirt on him to put him away for a _long_ time.”

Lady Arkham laughed. “Lovely.” She said, looking towards the roof, smiling under her mask. “Be on your guard, we’re being watched.”

The lieutenant looked up, looking slightly worried. “Batman?”

Lady Arkham pondered for a second. “Probably.” She said. “You might as well show yourself, I already know you’re here.” Lady Arkham said, looking directly at Batman and Catwoman’s direction. “It’s okay, I only want to talk. I promise none of my guys will fire on you.”

Catwoman was surprised. “How can she see us?”

Batman went into detective mode on his mask. “She has a heat-vision filter on her mask.”

“Well, don’t you have something that prevents heat-vision from catching you?”

“It’s a work in progress.” He said, dropping into the sight of Lady Arkham.

Lady Arkham smiled under her mask, taking the time to examine the Caped Crusader before her. “Well hello, Batman.” She began. “And what to I owe this visit by Gotham’s protector?”

Batman remained silent, studying Lady Arkham. Like the Arkham Knight, her outfit was high-tech, sophisticated, yet at the same time, nostalgic, like a being from the past. She also had a posture that translated to: Don’t cross me, or it’ll be the last thing you do. “You’re taking territory from Black Mask. Why?”

Lady Arkham laughed. “Oh Batman, the Black Mask is just part of the plan.” She began, pulling up a chair nearby. “Tell me Batman, I’ve seen you work, I’ve studied you. You’ve impressed me.” She stated. “You’ve shown that you care for this city, and like I, you want to see Gotham as a city where children won’t be woken up by the sound of a gunshot in the middle of the night, where storeowners don’t have to worry about some robber taking their life one day, and a world where a child won’t lose their parents because of some punk with a gun.”

Batman clenched his fists.

“You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?” She began once again. “How could you not? You dress up like a bat, she dresses like a cat, I dress up like a being from the past, we are all victims of this city.” She then stood up and walked until she was face-to-face with Batman. “You fight to give this city a chance, just like me.”

Batman remained silent. “We may fight for the same cause, but our methods differ entirely.”

“Ah, your ‘no kill’ philosophe.” She said. “Haven’t you ever thought that your philosophe is the reason why Gotham is suffering? Haven’t you thought that—”

Suddenly, the sound of gunfire echoed from one of the nearby rooms. “No, get away from me you monst—AAAHHHH!!” More members of the Children of Arkham rushed into the room where the screaming occurred. The sound of gunfire erupted once again, and a screaming silence soon followed. An unsettling silence filled the area, before a Children of Arkham member came shattering through a nearby wall, following him was a now too familiar character.

“Ah, Gotham’s little knight in Arkham armor.” Lady Arkham exclaimed, as if she was happy to see the Arkham Knight attacking her men. “I take it that the Black Mask’s client is going to try and stop me from taking his little playthings.”

The Arkham Knight moved up closer to Arkham Knight, but stopped when her lieutenant stepped in his way. **“I don’t care about Black Mask or his ‘little playthings’. For all I care, you can have everything in here.”**

Lady Arkham seemed surprised, but she didn’t show it. “My, what a gracious host.” She began, taking a device from her pocket. “I’ve studied you as well. You use weapons that effect an individual’s mind. Let’s talk about the mind, shall we?” She turned the device on. “The mind is a fragile device, while it can take enormous amounts of pressure. Sometimes you simply need the right amount of pressure.” She finished, tossing it toward Batman and Catwoman. Before Batman could take a batarang out, the device exploded, exposing the two to a large amount of fear toxin.

“You have a choice Arkham Knight.” Lady Arkham began, slowly walking away. “Chase after me, or save the heroes. You can’t do both.”

The Arkham Knight pondered the thought for a second, before rushing to the aid of Batman and Catwoman.

Lady Arkham looked at him and smiled. “Lovely.” She said.

_...A Few Minutes Later…_

Batman opened his eyes to see the Arkham Knight, who was lying on his back along the rooftop of the warehouse, relaxing. Seeing Batman get up got the Arkham Knight’s attention, who quickly rushed to his aid. **“Easy.”** He stated. **“You’ve been exposed to a lethal amount of fear toxin. It’s like my own, except this could drive the victim completely insane. You’re lucky I rescued you in time.”**

Batman struggled to stand. “Catwoman?”

The Arkham Knight laughed. **“ _Selina_ is just fine, she woke up a few minutes ago. She wasn’t very happy to see me, can’t understand why, so she decided to go back to her place. She’s fine though, that’s the point.”**

“You’re working for him, aren’t you?” Batman stated. “Black Mask.”

The Arkham Knight shrugged his shoulders. **“Well, there’s no resting for you, huh? I suppose you could say that. Personally though, I don’t really care about Black Mask. As I’ve said, he’s just a pawn, and he’s used up his usefulness.’**

Batman’s eyes narrowed. “If you’re not working with Black Mask, then who?”

The Arkham Knight pulled a small ball from his belt. **“That’s a strange question to ask, isn’t it?”** He said, before slamming the ball to the ground and being enveloped in smoke. Batman tried to reach though the smoke, but it was too late.

The Arkham Knight was gone.

_…A Few Hours Later…_

The rest of the night felt like Deja-vu. He spent all night searching for the Arkham Knight and the Children of Arkham, but came up with nothing. All night long, the Children of Arkham were taking Black Mask’s territory, and he kept missing them.

Batman returned to the cave. If the way the car screeched to a halt didn’t give away the Dark Knight was in a crappy mood, then the fact that his usual scowl was at its worst gave it away.

“Ah Master Wayne.” Alfred began. “I’ve taken the time to make you breakfast, as well as pick up your paper.”

Bruce sighed in frustration, taking off his mask. “Not now Alfred.” He said, rushing to the computer, recording all the data he could.

“Master Wayne, I believe it’s headline will pique your interest.” Alfred said, placing the paper in front of Bruce. Bruce took the paper, his attitude beginning to calm. That is, until he read the headline. 

**Vicki Vale Requests Interview from The Arkham Knight.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another chapter is done. Again, sorry that it's been so late. I'll try to work on my timing a little bit more. Either than that I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. If you want, leave a comment, good or bad, I want to hear your opinion. And again, if you enjoy the story, leave a kudo. Either than that, I hope you all have a great day.


	4. Happy New Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, J-Eazy here with a new chapter. Before we start, I'd like to explain some things.
> 
> First though, thanks to the 4 guests who left Kudos, you all rock.
> 
> Second, I'd like to explain why I've been away for so long. First, school and work got busy, leaving me little time to work on the story. Also, I tried to multitask this story with a PWP Star Wars Rebels story I've been planning. Also, worst of all, I had no idea where to take the story. So after a while, I finally have a plan for this story, revolving around certain connecting arcs, which I hope you all enjoy as I post.
> 
> So after that, let's continue on with the story.

Hugo Strange can be called many things. Psychotic, vindictive, heinous, manipulative, _evil_. Even as the man simply sits in his office at the newly rebuilt Arkham Asylum, people can’t help but notice the way he practically _oozes_ his personality.

Strange sat in his office, lost in a seemingly endless train of thought, until the phone on his desk began to ring, shaking him from his concentration. “Yes?” He replied.

“I take it you have read the Gazette?” The caller stated, the tone of his voice giving the hint that he was not happy in the slightest.

Strange leaned back, grabbing the paper and reading the headline, chuckling to himself. “I have. Quite amusing if you ask me, seeing how he is going from a vigilante to potentially having an interview with Ms. Vale.”

“This was not what we had planned for him.”

Strange chuckled once again. “Of course not, but this little… _nuisance_ …can still play out in our favor.”

The man remained silent. “How do you propose it will?”

Strange smiled. “Gotham’s people aim to be led by a face they can trust, whether that face is out in the open, or covered in darkness. If the man behind the face is making, shall we say… _appearances_ , then the people of Gotham will look upon him like they do the _bat_.”

“I see. And what if this so-called _nuisance_ fails to turn in our favor?”

Strange’s expression lowered. “Then we will have to use _other_ methods.”

“Very well.” The man replied. “But be warned Strange, if he fails, then I will be forced to bring out my alternative.”

Strange’s grip on the phone tightened. “I can assure you, he will _not_ fail.” He said, angrily slamming the phone down, before slowly drifting back into his train of thought.

_…Elsewhere in Gotham…_

Julian Day, also known as the Calendar Man, currently stalks around his hide out, arranging pictures and newspaper clippings along a wall as his plan began to come into place. Finally, with the attachment of one final headline, he stood back, allowing the gears to roll and pick up speed.

“Vicki Vale, and the Arkham Knight…happy new year.”

_…The Batcave…_

Bruce read through the front page from his chair in the batcave, forming points and counter-points around the idea of the Arkham Knight conducting an interview. From the few moments Bruce had encountered him, he doesn’t appear to be the type to appear in interviews. Suddenly, another thought piqued Bruce’s interest…

“Why would Vicki Vale request an interview with the Arkham Knight?”

From Bruce’s perspective, Vicki Vale doesn’t seem like the person who does interviews with the vigilantes of Gotham city. Hell, even when Superman came to Gotham a few times there wasn’t anything different. So why now?

“Perhaps she had taken a taste for local vigilante’s. Should we expect a call for Batman’s interview in the coming weeks?” Alfred quipped.

“Funny.” Bruce replied, honestly glad something upped his attitude, even in the slightest. “Robinson Park? That’s on one of the worst sides of Gotham. Why would she conduct an interview there?”

“Perhaps she thinks that the Arkham Knight will protect her.”

Bruce considered the option. “Perhaps, but it still doesn’t seem like her.” He said, looking at the computer, the wheels in his head beginning to turn. “I have an idea, but it might require a little bit of _creativity_.”

_…Vicki Vale’s Apartment…_

If there was anything Vicki Vale loved to experience, it was a perfect morning. The feeling of sunlight hitting her on a cool summer morning, followed up by a warm shower, set Ms. Vale on a warm-sided path.

The warm water felt soothing against Vicki’s skin. To her, the feeling of something warm against her skin seemed to relieve some stress she woke up with after reading the paper. She didn’t know what got into her, but before she knew it, her request to interview the Arkham Knight was splayed out across the front page of the Gotham Gazette.

The thought about what the interview could do for her career, where that could take her. A few options came up…some good, _many_ bad. The thought seemed to scare her, yet at the same time…it _thrilled_ her. The thought of being so close to the action, her heart began to beat faster as she unconsciously smiled to herself at the thought.

The sudden feeling of cool water against her skin brought Vicki back into reality. She quickly finished her shower, put on a robe, and walked back into her apartment. She looked around the room, enjoying how the sunlight stretched across the room, giving it an almost golden glow, before relaxing on the couch, when her phone started to ring.

Vicki sighed to herself. “Who the hell would call me this early?” She said to herself, before picking up the phone. “Hello?” She said, her voice going from annoyed to almost delighted faster than one can snap their fingers.

“Ms. Vale? It’s Bruce Wayne.”

Vicki’s whole attitude shifted upwards. “Bruce, hi! What can I do for Gotham’s most eligible bachelor at…” She began, looking at her clock. “…six-thirty in the morning? Finally get home after a night on the town?”

Vicki heard Bruce chuckle on the other end, his voice almost carrying a low echo. “Actually yes. But that’s not why I called. I called about your interview later this evening.”

“The Arkham Knight interview?”

“Yes, that one.” He began. “I was wondering if you could possibly include a plus one in the interview?”

Vicki was a little taken back by that. She wondered to herself what a guy like Bruce Wayne could possibly want regarding the Arkham Knight. The possibilities seemed almost endless. She studied Bruce’s voice. He seemed calm, collected, as if he was planning this out from day one.

“Very well, Mr. Wayne, the interview starts at seven this evening, be there early.” She stated, before hanging up the phone. She then turned and walked back to the couch, and plopped herself across it, letting out a long sigh.

Today was going to be a good day.

_…Later That Evening, Across Gotham…_

The Arkham Knight looked upon Gotham, breathing in the cool air as the city began to die down. Slowly, he took a deep breath in, and exhaled. “It’s beautiful up here, isn’t it?” He said to himself. “From here, it seems like a modern-day paradise. From here, you can’t see the filth and corruption underneath.”

He suddenly cracked his neck in preparation. **“Sure, you could say that… _beautiful_. I can actually think up another word for it.”**

“Yeah?”

**“Hell.”**

He suddenly chuckled. “You know, most people would say something like that. I read somewhere, the Gazette…I think, where people were asked if they could describe the city in a couple words, what would they be?”

He chuckled again. **“I remember. Someone said ‘dead’, another said ‘Joker’, someone said ‘Two-Face’, but do you remember what most people said?”**

“Of course, that the city is Batman’s.”

**“Mmhmm.”** The Arkham Knight stated, before sighing to himself. **“What time do you have?”**

He looked down under his wrist. “Quarter-after-six.”

The Arkham Knight shrugged his shoulders. **“We got some time.”** He stated, looking over the city, smiling to himself at how quiet the city’s been. **“What do you think is going on down there?”**

He shrugged his shoulders. “Tactically speaking…every druggie, mob boss, and psychopath with a faction is arming themselves up for war, whether it’s defensive of offensive, and it’s our job to take them down.”

**“When do you think that will be?”**

He shrugged his shoulders. “Again, tactically speaking, I’d assume it will be when someone, ranging from us to Lady Arkham, isn’t going to be much of an issue anymore. That, or they’ll simply arm themselves up to the very brim, and wait for the first person to get paranoid, and then strike.”

The Arkham Knight sighed. **“I hope you’re right.”**

“I am.”

The Arkham Knight sighed once again, pulling out a picture from his suit’s side pocket. **“You know who this woman is?”**

“Of course not.”

**“Why not?”**

“Because you’re working from my memories, not vice-versa.”

The Arkham Knight paused for a second, before smiling to himself. **“Oh yeah, my bad. We have these conversations for so long that before either of us know it, we can’t remember who’s who anymore.”**

“Completely understandable, you’re just lucky you’re a good conversationalist.”

**“Same. What’s the time now?”**

He looked back at the watch while already grabbing his mask. “Quarter-to-seven.”

Both smiled, putting on the mask.

**“Let’s get into character.”**

_…Robinson Park, 6:45 P.M…_

Vicki sighed into the cool Gotham Knight, looking to see Bruce Wayne sitting across from her. She was honestly surprised that he didn’t come with an entire entourage just to make himself look presentable. Instead, he looked honest, sincere, like the true child of Gotham that he is.

It made her smile. “I take it you came prepared.”

Bruce met her smile with one of his own, showing of his seemingly never-ending charm. “Of course.” He said, showing a stack of about two-to-three cards.

Vicki seemed surprised, slightly, but kept it hidden professionally. “You do understand that we are on a time limit, I’m scheduled to be at Gotham Square to celebrate New Year’s Eve. I need to be there by nine or else it’ll take forever to get there in time.”

Bruce smiled once again. “Of course.” He said.

Silence took the air as the two were going over their notes, before Bruce broke the silence. “How was your Christmas?”

“It was good.” Vicki said, not breaking her concentration from her notes. “Spent the night at my sister’s, then had a huge breakfast with her family, we finished the night by going to a clubhouse out of town that my sister’s husband rented and celebrated with my brother-in-law’s family. How was yours?”

Bruce chuckled. “If I could describe it… _busy._ ” He began. “I didn’t know you had a sister.”

Vicki shrugged her shoulders. “Yeah, we never really knew each other too much, with her getting adopted, but a couple years ago we reconnected and have been seeing each other ever since.”

Bruce smile. “Good for you.”

**“Am I on time?”**

Both Vicki and Bruce, slightly startled at the sound of the voice, turned to see the Arkham Knight sitting in his seat across from them. Vicki took a minute to compose herself, while Bruce couldn’t help but smirk. ‘So that’s what it’s like.’ He thought to himself.

Vicki finally composed herself, pulling out and activating a tape recorder. “Yes, you are perfectly on time.” She said, trying to gather her thoughts together. “I hope it isn’t an issue, but Mr. Wayne contacted me to include him as an interviewer.”

The Arkham Knight shrugged his shoulders. **“No, it isn’t an issue.”** He said, standing up and extending his hand to Mr. Wayne. **“It’s an honor, sir.”**

Bruce shook his hand. “It’s an honor to meet you as well, you can’t believe how hard it is to run into some of Gotham’s finest.”

The Arkham Knight let out a chuckle. **“Thanks, Mr. Wayne, but I wouldn’t consider myself one of Gotham’s finest.”** He said, taking his seat. **“Now then, I believe the two of you have some questions for me?”**

Vicki smiled. “Yes. First question, very basic, where are you from, what’s your history?”

The Arkham Knight leaned against his chair. **“Well, I was born in Gotham. Went to school here my whole life. And…that’s about all I did, I never really did much during that time.”** He said, opening a compartment of his mask and taking a drink of water.

Ms. Vale smiled, nodding her head. “Interesting.”

Bruce decided to ask next. “Some people have been calling you a supposed hitman for hire, considering your work with people Black Mask. Is all of this true?”

**“While it is true I allied myself with Black Mask, briefly, it wasn’t as some _hitman_. I simply surveyed his competitors, and it I needed to, I intervene.”**

“Even though Black Mask is a known criminal.”

**“I can assure you, nothing happened.”**

Vicki saw that Bruce was going straight to the punch, and decided to up her game. “Next question. With the group calling themselves the ‘Children of Arkham’, do you have any alignment to them, like a second in command?”

**“I am not aligned to them, no.”**

_*TINK*_

Vicki turned her head. “What was that?”

_*TINK*_

Suddenly, a small metallic device appeared in the center of the three people.

**“GET DOWN!”**

Smoke suddenly erupted from the device, shrouding the three in a dense fog. Suddenly, a man grabbed Ms. Vale and pulled her back.

“Ms. Vale!” Bruce called out.

**“It’s okay, I’ll find her!”** Arkham Knight replied, pressing a button on the side of his helmet, activating a thermal-vision filter of his mask. **“I see them.”** He said, pulling out a batarang of his own, pressing a few buttons in the handle, and threw it at the attacker.

Bruce studied the Arkham Knight and his tech. He saw the batarang fly through the smoke. It wasn’t too long before he heard the man cry out in pain. Bruce recognized the voice, and it became clear who he was.

The smoke cleared to reveal the Arkham Knight on top of the attacker, Julian Day, Calendar Man. The Arkham Knight’s batarang embedded in Julian’s shoulder like a bear-trap.

The Arkham Knight punched Julian across the face, his punches sounded like gunshots in the open air, each one made itself known to anyone close.

**“I should’ve expected to see you hear Julian.”** The Arkham Knight said, grabbing Julian’s wrist and quickly dislocated it. He almost seemed to be delighted at Julian’s cry of pain. **Tell you what, just say when.”** He said, continuing his punches and dislocations.

Bruce grabbed his wrist. “That’s enough!” He said, only to be completely ignored by the Arkham Knight. When suddenly, a batarang bounced off the Arkham Knight’s helmet, and a hand grabbed his wrist.

“That’s enough.” Batman said.

The Arkham Knight froze, looking at both Vicki and Bruce, then Julian, who was a bloody mess, but alive.

**“I-I’m sorry.”** The Arkham Knight said, bewildered. **“I-I don’t know what got into me.”** He stood up. **“Is everyone alright?”**

Vicki, already phoning the police, nodded. Bruce, despite a little shaken, was alright. Seeing that the situation seemed to be dying down, the Arkham Knight took off, almost as if he was lost in thought.

_…A Few Hours Later…_

Bruce was back at the cave, ready for Batman to come back. Soon, the roaring engine of the Batmobile filled the cave as it rushed in and came to a screeching halt.

“How’s the car?” Bruce asked.

Batman removed his cowl to reveal the face of Dick Grayson, who was chuckling to himself. “You did good Dick. You haven’t lost your touch, Dick. You’ve proven that you will make a successful Batman.”

“Dick.” Bruce said, getting his attention. “You did good, you haven’t lost your touch, you’ve proven that you’ll make a successful Batman. Now, how the car?”

Dick rolled his eyes. “The car is just fine. It’s walking on these stilts that’s an issue, I thought I’d get used to it by now.”

“You did good, I’m surprised that the Arkham Knight didn’t throw you back.” Bruce said, getting into a new batsuit.

“Yeah, about that.” Dick began. “It was the strangest thing. I grabbed his arm, and it felt like I was touching a statue. He didn’t even react to the touch, yet he completely froze up once he stopped, as if he wasn’t himself.”

Bruce pondered the thought. “I did notice that. He seemed like he was almost being controlled.”

“Or maybe something made him lose it.”

“Maybe.” Bruce said, putting on his cowl. “I’ll look into it.”

_...Arkham Asylum…_

Julian Day sat in his cell at Arkham, decorating it with the pages of a small calendar to give him a sense of nostalgia of his old cell. His humming of ‘Thirty Days Hast September’ filled the silence. That is, until the sound of metal clinging against metal broke his concentration.

_*Clink*-*Clink*-*Clink*-*Clink*-*Clink*_

The sound was getting closer, dragging along the stone wall as it moved between bars.

_*Clink*-*Clink*-*Clink*-*Clink*-*Clink*_

The lights suddenly shut off, the sound is coming closer, now a few cell’s down.

“Hello, Julian.” The voice said.

Julian relaxed, recognizing the voice. “It’s you. Tell me, how did I do?”

“You did it flawlessly. How’s the shoulder?”

“Not unusable, but if I get out, I won’t be using it much.”

The voice chuckled. “No, you won’t.”

Julian suddenly became suspicious. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

The sound of metal against metal filled the silence again. “Your services are no longer required.”

The light came on, piercingly bright. Julian covered his eyes and looked away, allowing him to adjust. He turned to see Lady Arkham looking back at him, with a shotgun pointed directly in his face.

_BANG_

_…A Few Hours Later…_

Alfred Pennyworth enjoyed his stroll to pick up the mail. It allowed him to gather his thoughts, while also enjoying the view of Gotham from afar. Today was no different. He breathed the cool air in, hoping to himself that the new year would be a good one. He reached the mailbox and removed its contents.

They appeared to be the usual type of mail: magazine subscriptions, invitations, memos. However, there was a letter there, addressed to the Wayne family. Alfred looked at it, taking note that the seal bore the resemblance of one used by the late Jeremiah Arkham. Wasting no time, he opened the letter and read its contents, getting a chill down his back.

_Happy Holidays_

_-LA_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, if you enjoyed the story, leave a comment, let me know how I did, or leave a kudo. Either than that, I hope you all have a great day.


	5. Knightfall, Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Nocturnes_L, Zephyrsaurus, and the 5 guests who left Kudos on the story.  
> Also, thanks go out to Zephyrsaurus and Royalequestrian for bookmarking the story.

_…Unknown Location, Midnight…_

The sound of light chatter mixing with the clinking together of champagne glasses filled the room. People, who seemed to give miniscule care about the politics and the hostility of their city, seemingly welcomed a new year with little-to-no concern.

“Marvelous. Truly marvelous.” A woman said, observing the screens before her. 

The woman, in her mid-to-late fifties, viewed the footage of the Arkham Knight over the past few days like one who was experiencing a major historical event for the first time. One would experience an unsettling sense of amazement, as if they had never seen anything quite like it outside of their little world.

One of the many other members walked up to the woman and began to observe the footage alongside her. A man, mid-twenties. “He does show a finer taste in the arts, doesn’t he?” The man stated. The woman didn’t immediately respond, but the man could tell she was agreeing with him. “What do you think of the woman?” He continued, pulling up footage of Lady Arkham, along with pictures of her recent ‘achievements.’

Almost instantly, the woman seemingly lost interest. “A pitiful excuse for a threat, if I ever saw one.”

The man, although slightly, was taken back by her claim. “May I ask why?”

The woman complied, gesturing towards the photo of the ‘Underworld Massacre.’ “Tell me. What do you see in these images? Or these?” She began, pulling up more images of the Children of Arkham onto the screens. “What does your mind tell you when you gaze at the sights before you?

The man remained silent, examining each picture like one would at an expo. “Power, arrogance, yet at the same time…cowardice.”

“Exactly.” The woman replied. “You’re too young, but I’ve seen this city rise up and consume itself more times than any sane human could handle. Whether it was the death of Commissioner Loeb, feuds between people like Penguin and the Joker, or a simple mob hit, everyone assumes that genocide leads to fear…leads to _respect_ …they’re wrong.”

“And what of the Arkham Knight?”

The woman smiled. “That is a good question. At first, I assumed he was no better than some hired muscle working for Sionis. But something is different now…” She began, standing up to observe multiple reports of the Arkham Knight. “It seems that with each moment, his actions get the further apart from the typical thug.” 

The man remained silent, taking in her words. “What should we do?” 

The woman remained silent. “For now, we observe him. If he shows promise, I will send one of our agents to him. Hell, I may even go meet him myself.”

“And if he doesn’t.”

The woman turned. “Then that will be _my_ decision to make.”

_…7:30 A.M., The Batcave…_

Bruce, wiping the morning crust from his eyes, stared at every ounce of data the computer was giving him on the letter. But with every single test, big or small, it came back negative. It was just a simple letter. Sighing in frustration, Bruce fell back into his chair. His attention turned to a separate screen playing the local news.

“It seems that the paranoia given to Gotham by the Children of Arkham is _far_ from over.” Jack Ryder stated. “Earlier this morning, reports came flooding in of many of this Gotham’s most influential citizens, ranging from former Hamilton Hill alongside current mayor Quincey Sharp, down to members of the Falcone family, received a seemingly simple letter from the Children of Arkham’s leader.”

Bruce turned the volume up, Ryder’s reporting beginning to echo around the cave. “What sort of motive does Lady Arkham have in this message? Many are theorizing that this is a warning to the individuals, telling them to prepare for war. Some however, are suggesting that this is a simple scare tactic. Whatever the case, only time, alongside the proper authorities, will tell.” Bruce turned the monitor off, sighing once again, before going back to his thoughts, before the echoing sounds of footsteps brought Bruce back to reality.

“I trust the news was _educational_?” Alfred chimed in, carrying a small breakfast platter.

Bruce silently groaned to himself. “You could say that.” He began, setting the tray next to him. “I just can’t wrap my head around the reasoning for the letter. What purpose does Lady Arkham have for sending these to all of those people?”

“Hmm. Perhaps she, like Ryder stated, could be using this as a scare tactic. A way to see which one of the recipients will crack under the pressure and make himself known.”

“Perhaps.” Bruce stated, pulling up a list of recipients. “What I am wondering is why people like Hill? It’s because of him crime has gone down over the past few years.”

“Perhaps. However, you of all people know that nobody in this politics can have such a perfect record. Suppose Lady Arkham has evidence against people like Hill, or Sharp. Aside from simple chaos, what other benefits can she gain by taking this to the public? A great man once said: ‘One must keep their friends close, and their enemies closer.’”

Bruck remained silent, pondering. “You’re right. Lady Arkham wouldn’t do this if she didn’t have something big planned. But what is it, and where do I fit in all of this?”

_…Arkham Asylum…_

Hugo Strange sat alone in his office. Pondering, contemplating, _planning._ He, alongside all of Gotham, saw the footage of the Arkham Knight losing it when confronting the Calendar Man, and to say he wasn’t too thrilled on the situation would be an understatement. The phone begins to ring, he restrains from answering it. He knows who is calling, and he knows why he’s calling. Reluctantly, Hugo answered the phone.

“I take it you have seen the reports.”

Hugo attempted to restrain himself. His benefactor was in a foul mood, to say the least. “I have. Surely, you must understand here that—”

The benefactor was straight to the point. “I care little in the excuses you may call up for your little project. If he was still in my possession, he would have had the ability to maintain a level-head through the affair, and not proven himself to be another victim of that plague of a city.”

Strange’s grip on the phone tightened. “If he _was_ still in your possession, then not only would he most likely have been defeated by the Bat, but you and your cultists alongside him.”

The man remained silent. For a moment, Hugo thought he had finally cracked him. “Did you really believe that _he_ was something special, Strange?” He began. “No. In fact, I not only _can_ make others like him, but that is exactly what I _have_ been doing.”

Hugo was taken aback, but he didn’t let the man notice it. “Very well. What would you have me do concerning the Arkham Knight?”

“Simple. I want you to remove the nuisance, by any means necessary. And Strange, consider yourself removed from anything regarding me. If you try to report to anyone, whether it be your local authorities, or even the detective himself, you will be executed before you will even think of refuge.”

This time, Strange _was_ taken aback. “You, you can not be serious. After all this time, after all this dedication to a new Gotham, you expect me to toss my creation aside like it is no better than the rest of the filth in this city?!”

The man wasn’t fazed by Hugo’s outburst. In fact, he was almost amused. “Strange, you knew the risks. I leave it upon you to set things right”

Strange sighed in defeat. “Very well.” He said, hanging up the phone.

Strange remained motionless, comprehending the situation now at his proverbial doorstep. Looking upon his desk, he pulled out an envelope, received recently, examining it.

_Happy Holidays._

Strange slammed his fist into his desk. He’ll be damned if he will allow himself to be consumed by the paranoia that is throughout Gotham. Reaching into his desk, he pulled out a multitude of files regarding the multitude of associates in and out of the asylum. Finding the one he required, he stood up, and began to walk towards the patient’s wing. He had one nuisance to remove before he could set his plan into motion.

_…A Few Minutes Later…_

Strange walked through the new Intensive Treatment facility, feeling oddly subdued by the scale of the area around him. It was only three years since Joker took over the old asylum, and two years since Quincy Sharp _somehow_ became the mayor of Gotham and made it his top priority to rebuild Arkham Asylum into a proper institution for the mentally ill.

Strange almost chuckled to himself. Strange was right on _that_ aspect. The new asylum seemed to give Strange a feeling less of a barely functioning asylum, dedicating its time into researching the multiple ways in treating their patients, and more along the lines of places like Alcatraz.

Strange thought back to Sharp’s little ceremony the night he became mayor, the first moment he realized the strings were being pulled, and he was none the wiser. Quincy Sharp had a positive, yet obvious level of vanity in his speech. At first, it almost gave Hugo an unusual sense of nostalgia, recalling back to when Sharp first became warden of the asylum, and Sharp’s speech to all incoming patients was so familiar and frequent, Hugo began to feel like the wrote it all himself.

However, once Sharp began to talk about rebuilding the Asylum, it was like he was a completely different person. All this talk about rebuilding Gotham’s past, building the asylum to a perfect penitentiary, cracking down on the mentally ill around the city, bordering on a shoot-on-sight policy, suddenly made Sharp feel like a city-wide warden than a mayor.

The sound of an inmate ramming into his cell brought Strange back into reality. Gazing towards the cell numbers, he seemed at ease. He was reaching his destination. Pulling out a small device, he discreetly activated it.

Standing in front of the cell, his body shining in front of the hallway light eclipsed the patient in a deep shadow, Hugo opened the tray slot and slid the file inside.

“I have a task for you…”

The patient remained still, before slinking over to the file, his scars almost shining against the light. Glossing through the file, a growing smile stretched across his face. “How do you plan on getting me out?”

“I have requested a prisoner transfer for you to Blackgate. On the way, you will be presented an opportunity to escape. From there, you will kill the target.”

The patient gazed back at the file, then back to Strange. “How are you getting out of this?”

Strange smiled, gesturing towards the device. “I have already planned everything out.”

The patient smiled. “I am so glad that you brought me this. It relieves me to know that her life will finally be etched onto my flesh. It has been a long time coming.”

Strange nodded. “I believe you.” He said, beginning his walk back. “And remember…take as long as you like.”

_…Gotham City, 7:00 P.M…_

Batman let out a low sigh as he patrolled the city. Earlier in the day, a prisoner transfer turned into chaos when the driver rammed head-on into a wall just outside of Gotham. The two prisoners who managed to survive escaped into the city.

Thankfully, Batman quickly apprehended one of the criminals. A small-time thug, got caught trying to rob a drug store. However, one patient was still at large, and it was a name Batman was all too familiar with.

Victor Zsasz.

All day long, Bruce had been listening in to the GCPD’s radio, hoping to get a lead on Zsasz. But noting came up, and that’s what had Bruce on edge. Zsasz wasn’t a kind of criminal whose potential targets he could predict, like the Joker or Two-Face, he had an unpredictability when he killed. And that unpredictability is at hand.

Suddenly, Batman’s communicator went off. It was the GCPD. “All units, all units! We have a disturbance at the Lacey Towers, seventh floor. Reports have come in claiming Victor Zsasz has been spotted in the vicinity. All units be advised, he is most likely armed and extremely dangerous.”

Realization his Batman faster than the Flash. He was going after Dr. Young after he failed to kill her back at the Asylum. Hitting the gas, Bruce sped his way to Lacey Towers, praying that he wasn’t too late.

_…A Few Minutes Later…_

Batman pulled up to the north end of the tower. Looking around, it seemed that he beat the police there. However, with the faint sound of sirens in the distance, they weren’t too far off. Getting out of the Batmobile, Bruce launched his grappling hook, and propelled himself closer and closer to Penelope’s apartment.

Before too long, Batman reached her balcony. The balcony door was busted off. But what caught Batman’s attention wasn’t the fact that it was busted, it was the fact that it was busted in the way that suggested that someone was trying to _escape_. Turning on his detective vision, he managed to make out a heartbeat. It was fast-paced, terrified. Glancing around, he failed to pick up Zsasz. Slowly, he entered the apartment.

“Oh, God.”

“Batman? What do you see?” Oracle asked.

At first glance, the room looked like a psychopath like Zsasz was occupying it, but with the amount of blood and destruction, alongside the heartbeat of the apartment’s current occupant, the site would give the average detective a problematic time, let alone the world’s greatest.

“Blood. Lots of it.”

“Can you tell whose it is?”

Batman quickly responded, scanning a still wet splotch of blood. The result took him by surprise. “It’s Zsasz’s blood.”

Looking around the room, his attention was caught on the kitchen, and the pool of blood seemingly still forming. He walked over, and instantly recognized the body, or what was left of it. Batman coughed, almost instinctively, trying not to let the sight get to him, but it was too late.

“Oracle…” He began, attempting to compose himself. “I found Zsasz, he’s dead.”

“Oh, God.” Oracle responded. “How…how bad is it?”

Batman glanced at the body, before looking back at the blood-painted walls. “His face has been ripped to shreds. The scars on his body are the only recognizable feature.”

Oracle remained silent, most likely trying not to picture the body herself. “Who could have done such a thing?”

Batman studied the body. Upon reaching Zsasz’s right arm, he saw a symbol…a familiar symbol. “The Arkham Knight.”

“The Arkham Knight? That doesn’t make any sense. I mean, it doesn’t fit his M.O.”

Batman studied the bloodied walls. Out of all the markings, one stood out. A message.

**_HELP ME!_  **

“He’s new to Gotham. Perhaps he is showing his true colors.”

Oracle remained silent, looking over the images and data Bruce’s suit was giving her. “The suit is registering another heartbeat nearby.”

“Already on it.”

Batman approached the heartbeat. He tried to open the door, only for it to be locked. Hearing the doorknob shift, the occupant slowly crawled an opposing corner, her cries of pain coming out as low whimpers.

“Dr. Young?” Batman called out. The whimpering continued. “Dr. Young?” He repeated, but to no avail. Briefly sighing in momentary defeat, he kicked the door open.

“NO!” Dr. Young cried out, blindly running toward Batman, wielding a knife in her hand. Reacting quickly, Batman grabbed her wrist. Holding her arm above him, Batman tightened his grip on her wrist, causing her hand to release the blade.

“Dr. Young!”

Penelope opened a tear drenched eye. Managing to make out the voice and the outline of Batman, she slowly began to calm down, dropping to the floor.

Slowly, Batman dropped to a knee, placing a reaffirming hand on her shoulder. “Penelope, it’s alright. You’re safe.”

Penelope looked up at Batman, her face practically mirroring the night Victor tried to kill her. She shook her head. “No, I’m not. I’m _never_ going to be safe.”

Batman caught a glimmer on the side of her head. “You’re bleeding.”

Penelope was motionless. “I don’t care.” She said. “It was _him_.”

“Who?”

Penelope looked up at him. “Michael. The Arkham Knight is Michael Ritter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter. If you want, leave a comment or a kudo. Have a great day.


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